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HIPTHER Community Voices: Interview with Dr. Maria Loumpourdi, founder and Managing Director of Made From Within

Reading Time: 7 minutes
In this interview, we speak with Dr. Maria Loumpourdi, founder and Managing Director of Made From Within, a CPD-accredited leadership development provider. She shares her journey into leadership and coaching, the philosophy behind her work, and how evidence-based development can drive real change—particularly in high-growth sectors like iGaming.
What originally sparked your interest in leadership development and coaching? Was there a defining moment that set you on this path?
The spark started very early. As a kid, I was always very curious and loved learning, but more than that, I loved sharing what I learned. I even remember trying to memorise a 24-volume encyclopaedia just so I could drop interesting facts into conversations. Looking back, that passion for learning and helping others grow was always there.
When it came time to choose a university path, education felt like the natural choice. I loved it (and still do), but I quickly started to feel uneasy about how rigid the school system is. More often than not, we teach what’s prescribed, not necessarily what kids want or need to learn. That made me think more seriously about adult education, where people have more agency in their development and are often more personally invested.
That decision led me to corporate learning and development. I started in the Learning & Development department of an iGaming company, and within a year, I moved into a leadership role heading L&D in the manufacturing sector. That role gave me hands-on experience in managing teams and developing as a leader myself. By that time, I had already completed a master’s in educational leadership and had been accepted into a doctoral programme. At that point, I already knew my research would focus on leadership development.
Another key realisation came when I started developing leaders. I began to see that while training is a necessary first step, it cannot, on its own, lead to lasting behavioural change. That’s when I realised coaching was the missing piece; it’s what helps people truly internalise and apply what they’ve learned. I became an accredited coach and eventually a coaching supervisor (a coach of coaches), and that shifted how I approached development.
Everything came together when I completed my doctorate and published my book, Leaders Made From Within. That was an important moment for me because it also marked the launch of my company, Made from Within. It was the point where everything aligned: my love for learning, leadership, developing others, and the belief that real change (whether individual or organisational) comes from within.
Made From Within is CPD-accredited and globally active. What inspired you to start it, and what impact are you most proud of so far?
Made From Within wasn’t a business idea; it was the result of over a decade of real-world experience, empirical research, and a deep understanding of what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to leadership and organisational development. I spent many years building my expertise, holding senior roles in international organisations, and seeing firsthand what drives real performance and sustainable business growth. Just as importantly, I saw the common patterns that hold people and businesses back. Many of the lessons I learned (both the successes and the hard-won mistakes) shaped the foundation of Made From Within.
I started Made From Within because I wanted to offer something practical, evidence-based, and rooted in real experience; instead of unsupported theories, popular opinions, or trends. The leadership and personal development space is currently crowded, and I was very intentional about two things: 1. making sure that my background clearly shows I am not another self-proclaimed guru on social media, and 2. ensuring this wasn’t just another one-size-fits-all offering. At Made From Within, we don’t do off-the-shelf. We work closely with clients to understand their goals, context, and challenges, then build tailored solutions that reflect their reality. We’ve also developed CPD-accredited programmes for individuals and teams who want to grow in a structured and credible way.
What I’m most proud of is how much we’ve achieved in such a short time. Made From Within has already supported leaders and teams across organisations and industries, enabling behavioural and organisational change. We’re now expanding access by offering our accredited courses directly through our website, which allows more people to develop themselves on their own terms, and at their own pace.
Your career spans several industries—from banking and manufacturing to iGaming. What pivotal experiences have shaped your leadership philosophy?
While some leadership challenges (like earning trust, managing conflict, or leading through change) are universal, I’ve found that every industry comes with its own unspoken rules and unique pressures. The culture portrayed on the company website is rarely (if ever) the full picture. Experiencing these differences first-hand has taught me that effective leadership isn’t about following one fixed approach. It’s about learning when to listen, when to challenge, and how to earn credibility in novel environments.
One of the experiences that shaped my approach happened in my very first week as a department head in the manufacturing sector. I was asked to represent the function in a customer audit, even though I had just stepped into the role and barely had any exposure to the industry or the company. During the audit, the client questioned how certain KPIs were calculated. I hadn’t prepared the presentation and didn’t have the answer. It would’ve been easy (and probably expected) to say, “I’m new”, or shift the blame to the person who created it. But I saw it as an opportunity to lead.
I admitted I didn’t have the answer at that moment and promised to come back with it by the end of the day. When I approached the team member who had prepared the figures, they told me they couldn’t remember. This person was already on their way out of the company, having previously received feedback that they weren’t ready for the role I had stepped into. Still, I didn’t point fingers. I worked with the team to find the answer, verified the data, and returned to the client with a clear explanation. We earned the client’s trust, salvaged the audit, and celebrated with the team despite the initial mistake.
That experience grounded one of the core principles of my leadership philosophy: when you lead, you take ownership. You don’t blame others, you don’t throw people under the bus, and you don’t step back when things go wrong. If you’re in a leadership role, you take responsibility and step up even when it’s not directly your fault. That’s the kind of leader I’ve worked to be across every industry I’ve been part of.
In iGaming, rapid growth often outpaces structured development. How can coaching help companies build stronger leadership pipelines during periods of scale?
In iGaming, growth often happens so quickly that people find themselves in leadership roles before they’ve had the time (or the opportunity) to develop the skills or confidence to lead. Coaching helps bridge that gap. It provides a safe space for new and emerging leaders to speak openly about their challenges, reflect on their behaviours, set development goals for themselves and their teams, and work toward those goals with a coach acting as both a thinking partner and an accountability partner.
It’s just as valuable for senior leaders. Coaching can help them build executive presence and avoid slipping into autopilot decision-making, which, in a fast-paced environment like iGaming, can have serious long-term consequences for both individuals and the business.
I’ve seen the impact of coaching firsthand. I’ve worked with people who were on performance improvement plans (essentially on their way out), and within six months, they were promoted into leadership roles. What changed? Their mindset, their behaviour, how they communicated, how they built relationships, and how they demonstrated their competence. Coaching made that shift possible.
Coaching meets people where they are, which is exactly what’s needed during periods of rapid scale. Especially in iGaming, where employee turnover often reaches or exceeds 30% (meaning one in three employees leave each year) offering coaching, even as a smaller operator or supplier, can be the difference between losing talent (often to competitors) and building a strong leadership pipeline.
What advice would you give to iGaming companies looking to invest in leadership development for the first time? Where should they start?
My key piece of advice is this: don’t buy off-the-shelf leadership development programmes. Every year, over $360 billion is invested on leadership development globally, but only 10–20% of that has a measurable return on investment. The reason? Most programmes aren’t tailored to the actual needs of the business and its leaders.
If you want real impact, you need to start with a proper analysis of your organisation’s current leadership needs and challenges. Get clear on what effective leadership looks like in your organisation, involve senior leadership teams from the beginning, and design a programme that fits; not just something that looks good on paper. When done right, tailored programmes can achieve up to 10x the ROI.
In my book Leaders Made From Within: The Blueprint for Developing Leadership in Individuals and Organisations, I share the 5D Leadership Development Process (Define, Design, Deliver, Deploy, and Debrief), a model grounded in my doctoral research. It’s a practical, evidence-based process to building leadership capability, and it’s especially relevant for high-growth sectors like iGaming.
What skills or leadership traits are most important for success in iGaming—and how can coaching help develop them?
Success in iGaming requires a combination of leadership skills due to the industry’s fast pace, volatility, and competitiveness. In my experience developing talent in this industry, some of the most critical skills include:
- Self-awareness and self-regulation: Leaders need to manage themselves under pressure and stay grounded. Coaching supports this by helping individuals recognise patterns, triggers, and habits; and understand how these affect their performance and relationships in a structured way.
- Building relationships and networks: In a fast-moving and relatively young industry, strong cross-functional collaboration is essential. Coaching helps leaders improve their communication, influencing, and trust-building skills, especially when leading international teams where alignment is harder to achieve.
- Creativity and innovation: iGaming leaders often face ambiguous situations without a clear playbook. Coaching provides space to step back, think differently, challenge assumptions, and explore new solutions, which is something daily operations rarely allow time for.
- Decision-making: Rapid scaling requires leaders who can make informed, timely decisions without having all the answers. Coaching helps leaders gain clarity, improve their judgment, overcome indecision, and build confidence in high-stakes or complex situations.
- Business acumen: Leaders need a broader understanding of how the business operates, not just within their own function. Coaching encourages a more strategic mindset by connecting day-to-day decisions to long-term business outcomes. For example, a commercial leader should understand product development, and vice versa. Everyone needs at least a baseline understanding of the financial and regulatory side of the business.
In short, coaching develops these skills not through theory, but through structured reflection, real-world application, accountability, and feedback.
The post HIPTHER Community Voices: Interview with Dr. Maria Loumpourdi, founder and Managing Director of Made From Within appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Spinomenal launches mythology-themed Majestic Zeus
Leading iGaming content provider Spinomenal has launched its mythology-themed Majestic Zeus slot.
Set at the foothills of Mount Olympus, Majestic Zeus welcomes players to a Grecian world where the rewards are potentially as large as the mountains themselves. The 5×3 frame is nestled between two towering columns adorned with Grecian goddesses. A thunderous, powerful musical score evokes the might of Zeus and heightens the entertainment.
Players who find three Zeus symbols will launch the Free Spins game. Before entering Free Games, players must take a turn on the Wheel of Fortune to determine the free spins total, between 10 and 40, and the symbol will be doubled for the round.
Three blue lightning bolts will trigger the Bonus feature in Majestic Zeus. Three spins are granted to players instantly, and the mission is filling the metre by collecting Scattered winning symbols. Five Scattered symbols will complete one cell in the metre. Additional spins can be earned with the +1 symbol and once the spins end the final total is paid out calculated by the final filled metre cell.
Majestic Zeus also has Stacked Wilds available where once the reels are spinning, Wild symbols have the ability to appear on the reels to increase the chance of a win. During the base game, Only Double Symbols can come into play, making all symbols appear in their double form.
Spinomenal CO-CEO, Omer Henya commented: “Majestic Zeus is sure to make a lot of noise amongst players thanks to its epic combination of myth, mechanics, and multiplier potential. The game looks and sounds superb — we’re expecting big results from it.”
The post Spinomenal launches mythology-themed Majestic Zeus appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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iMP Gaming Makes the Switch to A Smarter Arcade: Introducing the Mini Arcade PRO for Nintendo® Switch™ 1 | 2 and OLED Switch
Big Arcade Thrills, Living Room Friendly Size and at a Pocket Friendly Price; World Debut at Gamescom, 2025!
iMP Gaming, a leading UK based manufacturer and distributor of quality gaming hardware and accessories, announced today the Mini Arcade PRO, an ingenious new accessory designed to transform the Nintendo® Switch™ 1 | 2 or Switch OLED into a miniature arcade!
Set to make its official debut at Gamescom 2025, the world’s largest consumer and trade video game show, the Mini Arcade PRO is expected to begin shipping in time for Holiday 2025.
Ideal for arcade titles, shooters, fighters, retro and so much more, the Mini Arcade PRO is a high-quality, cost-effective way to recreate the genuine arcade feel of gaming’s golden era, utilizing players’ own Nintendo Switch 1 or 2 (not included), instantly enhancing a chosen game and providing speedy, accurate controls for arcade enthusiasts.
Effortlessly easy to assemble, the Mini Arcade Pro is constructed from robust ABS material and uses the console screen of the Nintendo Switch, slotting into the arcade shell and connecting via a solid, ultra-fast USB-C connection. Shipping with a screen adapter to accommodate either the Switch 1 or 2, once the tablet slots in, gamers have a perfect tabletop arcade, working with the vast majority of Switch 1 and 2 titles, and featuring the traditional arcade feel of a real Ball-Top Joystick with micro-switched, steel shaft engineering, and authentic eight-button configuration Action Buttons.
Further enhancing game compatibility, the Mini Arcade PRO features an integrated switch, dynamically changing the input of the Ball-Top Joystick. Users can instantly toggle between D-Pad, left, or right Thumbstick control, so gamers can enjoy the vast majority of the Switch 1 and 2 game catalogue without breaking a sweat.
An ideal statement piece, thanks to the custom Retro Arcade graphic design, the Mini Arcade PRO looks as good switched off as it does when in action, and players’ favourite games are never far away, as the Mini Arcade PRO even features handy storage for up to 12 Game Cards hidden at the rear of the device!
Struggling with that bullet laden shooter? No problem! The Mini Arcade PRO levels up gamers’ skills thanks to the addition of Turbo +/- Action Buttons, as well as a Home and C button for instant communication with friends or teammates.
Dean Harvey, Managing Director of iMP Gaming commented, “The Mini Arcade PRO is the perfect example of the innovative direction iMP Gaming is now taking with its range of Nintendo Switch 2 compatible accessories. Ingenious, cost effective and effortless to use, the Mini Arcade PRO uses the players’ own Switch or Switch 2 device, perfectly recreating the arcade thrills so many of us grew up with. Gamescom is the ideal opportunity to unveil the Mini Arcade PRO to the world for the very first time and we look forward to receiving media and partners both old and new to the show in order to go hands-on with the next big, small thing in gaming!”
iMP Gaming will be located at Hall 3.2, stand F049-01 in the Shenzhen Pavilion, proudly working alongside their production and manufacturing partners at Gamescom, and they encourage interested parties to reach out should they wish to meet, by contacting: [email protected]
The post iMP Gaming Makes the Switch to A Smarter Arcade: Introducing the Mini Arcade PRO for Nintendo® Switch™ 1 | 2 and OLED Switch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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BMM TESTLABS’ TRAVIS FOLEY APPOINTED CHAIR OF IGSA’S EMERGING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
Appointment underscores BMM’s leadership in advancing gaming innovation
BMM Testlabs (“BMM” or “the Company”), the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance and certification services, today announced that Travis Foley, Chief Government and Regulatory Officer, has been appointed Chair of the Emerging Technology Committee (ETC) for the International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA).
The ETC is a specialized committee within IGSA focused on identifying and evaluating transformative technologies likely to be deployed within the gaming industry. As Chair, Foley will lead collaborative efforts to support suppliers, regulators, and operators with clear frameworks, regulatory guidance, and standardization strategies that ensure the safe and efficient implementation of new technologies.
IGSA President Mark Pace said, “We are thrilled to have Travis lead the Emerging Technology Committee at such a critical time in the gaming industry. His deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and new and evolving gaming products and solutions will be invaluable as we work to guide the industry through the safe and practical adoption of groundbreaking technologies.”
Foley said, “The gaming industry is evolving rapidly, with technologies like AI, blockchain, cloud-based systems, and advanced remote gaming platforms reshaping how we think about compliance and innovation. I’m honored and excited to chair the Emerging Technology Committee and to work alongside IGSA’s members and global stakeholders to help see new technologies implemented safely, securely, and with integrity.”
The post BMM TESTLABS’ TRAVIS FOLEY APPOINTED CHAIR OF IGSA’S EMERGING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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